We Remember Everything

by Thunderscourge

It's Never Enough

Loki had not managed to find a day yet to spend idly with his stepdaughter throughout the year because of the tireless efforts the two of them went through to support their respective nations. However, in preparation of an inevitable confrontation with Thanos, Loki spent his free time expanding his combat skills through training and through this he found some time to interact with her even if it was in a limited fashion.

This was because Trixie had been training herself as well, and decided it could be wise to join Loki. Loki agreed to spar with her, only to find himself also meeting with her shadow, the Blood Elf. This would have irritated Loki less if he did not feel inadequate due to his limited magical capabilities caused by his undead state that Hela granted him. Having a daughter who was the most powerful member of his nation spar with him was fine, since he could suck up enough pride to handle that. But to also feel immense power from her servant? That made Loki grumble.

At least he could beat them in combat. For now. Their fast learning pace was letting the two mages catch up at a rate no mortal should, and Loki could only take solace from some of the research her had done. If the Aether was one of the Infinity Gems or Stones or whatever their true name was, then Loki believed it to the be the Power Gem, which granted immense physical properties…which could include the ability to learn abnormally fast, as it was a physical endeavor to spar.

At least, that is what he hoped at the time. His pride, although mellowed, would feel less trampled that way.

On one such training day while the family was in Equestria, Trixie and Kael were returning to Canterlot Castle from a day spent in town with the Dazzlings when they found the road right in front of the castle obstructed.

Standing in the way was a crowd of well-dressed ponies who were easily identified as members of the Canterlot Elite. In fact, so many stood before them that Trixie was surprised that almost all of the normally squabbling and bickering ponies who inhabited Canterlot’s upper echelons were here in one place and not fighting.

Trixie could teleport past the large crowd, but she was curious about why this was happening. Perhaps by approaching them and walking through she could find out by listening.

As Trixie approached closer, she smiled at them despite her inner hatred for these petty beings who displayed tendencies that had grown to be inexcusable in her eyes, “Excuse us.”

The crowd’s reaction to her approach was one of silence, their eyes staring at her with disgust and anger each. Trixie hesitated as they looked at her with such fervor. Why were they acting so…passively aggressive?

From the front of the crowd a pony Trixie recognized as a companion of Prince Blueblood stepped forward, a nasty look upon his face as he snorted at Trixie, “Why should we bother? We are fine here, especially since we’ve been waiting to confront a certain someone,” he glanced between the two with continued disgust, “We belong here, unlike some.”

Trixie gasped as she realized that she had been walking back in her Elven form. She had wanted to be settled into it before facing Loki in combat, only to forget how racist and xenophobic ponies could be. Especially the crowd who lived in Canterlot.

While Trixie gasped in surprise, Kael took the moment to step forward and place himself between her and the crowd, “You do realize who you are speaking to?”

The stallion who had spoke up before laughed sardonically while turning back to face his supporters, “The false princess Trixie, who would rather consort with a foreign race in their own form than serve her own people? Isn’t that right, everyone?”

The thought of getting through them by teleportation would have passed through Kael’s mind if not for Trixie’s stunned state. Instead, he rose his hands up peacefully as he attempted to plead with the unreasonable group, “Please, just move. I do not see why there must be conflict where none is needed.”

There was not a positive response to this, and Kael found himself having the stallion push his chest forcefully with a hoof, “You two legged beasts don’t belong here. You should go back to wherever that infernal prince Loki came from and stay away from our land—”

“Speak another vile, racist word and I will have you placed in jail for the rest of your miserable life!”

The stallion froze as Trixie screamed from behind Kael. The prince looked back to see that Trixie’s eyes had grown teary, even if she was not crying yet, and so he turned his back to console her.

During this time the stallion regained his nerve and began to speak again, the crowd behind him ardently supporting his words with their own cries, “Are you going to just lock me up like that? Without a trial? Celestia would never allow such abuse of power!”

Trixie pushed her second aside so she could step forward and leer down at her foe, “Celestia has the heart but not mind required to keep you all in check. I have the power to do as I please though, as your princess and ruler, so you will submit to me and show me the respect I deserve. Do you even know how much I have done for you ungrateful whelps?”

“We have heard of heroic deeds in other lands that no-one but your own corrupt lot can attest to. Why should we believe you, who once attacked a city and forced it to submit to your oppressive ways?”

That made Trixie’s stomach sink. Not only did it bring up the lowest point of her life morally, it also made her realize that this was not just some random rally. This was organized. He was prepared, and since this stallion was not some major player in Canterlot social politics that meant that he had someone behind him who was.

“Who is pulling your strings?” Trixie coolly responded,

A moment of hesitation proved her suspicion correct, though the stallion quickly jumped back into his bravado.

“There are no strings being pulled, but do know that there is a coalition forming against you and your ilk. We will see you driven out so that we can maintain the purity of our race without intermingling with the barbaric species you seem to be so drawn to.”

If Trixie had to take an educated guess, Blueblood was being a nuisance again and was trying to get petty revenge now that he was back. Trixie considered herself fortunate not to have run into him, and would make sure to tell the guards later to not allow him anywhere near her.

Trixie would laugh at the irony of Blueblood defaming her due to her supposed romantic inclinations and future offspring, when in fact she was the bastard child of his own despicable father.

“We will see about that,” Trixie muttered back, hatred coursing through her and clouding her mind now that a certain disgrace had come to mind.

“Oh will we? Will you suppress us and silence our views? Do you not believe in our freedoms?”

Instead of pushing against Kael this time, the stallion demagogue pushed Trixie as he continued to make a nuisance of himself.

In response, Trixie shoved him back and growled, “I will suppress anyone who stands in my way to forming a peaceful, prosperous world, especially if it means confronting ignoble bigots such as yourself.”

“Ignoble?” the stallion scoffed as he gathered himself, having stumbled back as if he had never been struck before, “What’s ignoble is your attitude! Are you suffering from mood swings resulting from carrying that foreigner’s child? You and your sick perversions will lead this country to ruin, and we will not allow for the bloodline of our sacred royalty to be tainted by such filth! Go back to the filthy animals this freak came from!”

Not provoked by the insult, Kael looked to Trixie to let her take the lead. He personally would enjoy destroying the stallion in an intellectual debate on the subject of ruling and on how xenophobia was a flaw not becoming of a civilized people, but the fact was that engaging this firebrand further could lead to a greater conflict than one of petty insults.

Trixie did not look to her partner however, instead focused on reaching forward to grab the stallion by the neck. Her hand clasped around it, Trixie pulled him in as close as she could to snarl at him.

“If and when I do have a child, you cretins will have no say in with whom I have it with, nor what race it hails from.”

She tossed the stallion back as the crowd began to cry out in uproar about abuse of power, ignoring how he started the physical confrontation, and the growing agitation of the crowd made worry begin to grow in the Elf.

“Trixie,” he warned. It was time to go.

I know I should just calm down, but…

Trixie’s words were cut off by a rock crashing into Trixie’s black hat and knocking it off her head. She opened her mouth to voice an objection, but an object propelled by telekinetic magic sailed through the air to strike her across the face.

Not actually hurt but instead stunned, Trixie stumbled back a step, while Kael did the reverse and stepped in front of her again as rocks and other objects continued to fly at them from the crowd.

Kael rose one hand and all of a sudden the magic stopped being cast. Ponies in the gathered crowd shrieked and yelled as they were lifted off their feet and into the air, the gravity around them distorted as the Elven prince gave a look of disappointment to them all.

His voice did not raise as he continued to lift the group into the air until they were at the same level as the second story of the closest building, “I have been persecuted for my race before. Nearly executed for it, even. If you are so xenophobic as to dismiss an ally as an enemy because of their different appearance, then the one who has an issue is not the persecuted but the one who has revealed their disgusting inner self.”

The public nature of this prevented Kael from utilizing his mind control abilities that he had been relearning. Controlling them forcibly and with who knows how many witnesses would only end badly, not that restraining them was much better in terms of public opinion…

Kael glared at the fearful crowd, none of them seeming to have realized that they had picked a fight with someone far above their level, “Now, unlike your Princess, I no qualms with putting you in your place. My people mean everything to me, so to disrespect them as well as my good friend at the same time was unwise of you,” he paused to let their fear sink in before continuing, “However, because I am the better person, I will let you down, and you will go mind your own business elsewhere and not bother us further. Am I understood?”

There was no verbal response, but Kael did not expect one. He instead turned as he let his magic end, not even trying to grant them a slow fall because he had no care if they fell and were hurt. The rock that had hit him in the eye during their short state of rebelliousness was of no consequence, but the intended harm to Trixie made him lack pity for these cretins.

“Come. Let us go.”

Trixie nodded wordlessly to Kael, tears welling in her eyes as he began to teleport the two of them away.

As they started to leave, the demagogue started his ranting again, “You will hear from us again! We will not stop until you are gone, you false princess!”

To Trixie, the fact that despite everything she had done that she was still criticized by these people made her feel too hollow to cry. Even if others were warming up to her, the fact that her good deeds were ignored by those who just sought to be nasty hit harder than any object the ungrateful nobles could throw.

“You have been learning well.”

Trixie had plenty of built up emotion to put into her strikes when she took to swordplay and close quarters combat with Loki in the training yard of Canterlot Castle. Loki was having difficulty keeping up with her because of her supernatural physical qualities resulting from the Aether, and her emotional state made her all the more unpredictable. Not the most comforting person, Loki chose to leave Luna to confront whatever issues Trixie was facing, and instead allow himself to be what she worked the excess out on.

Trixie, for her part, had trouble actually hitting Loki. He was faster than many could keep track of, and even with her gift he was difficult to actually track. As such, each of the two was having a great workout as one was constantly pushed on the defensive while the other could never achieve anything with their offense.

Trixie smiled to Loki as she panted for breath, glad about having a chance to forget the idiots she had run into earlier, “I have an experienced warrior as a teacher.”

Loki pointed one of his glaives over to the currently benched Kael, Trixie admiring the blades as Loki made the gesture, “Send your partner. He is the only one I can consider a true match right now.”

Kael had previous experience with actual martial combat, so while not a veteran of a thousand years of fighting like Loki he was able to at least predict Loki’s movements at a faster pace than Trixie. Loki also preferred fighting Kael over Trixie, for the Elf was not as fast paced and did not always press and try to be on the offense like Trixie. Unlike Loki, who could not tire due to his affliction, and Trixie, who regenerated her energy quickly, Kael seemed to have no such aid which impressed Loki the most with how Kael could continue fighting with them for the entirety of a sparring session if need be.

Kael stepped in to fight Loki next, and without words the two engaged in mock battle for the forty seventh time. Loki had won every encounter, but it had been close and even then he found himself irritate because the Elf was not using his magic, something Loki had limited ability to use himself anymore. If it were to be a real fight Loki would have to have his power for it to be any kind of contest.

For now though, Loki was just pleased that he had defeated each of the other two close to fifty times. He was sure that this next generation of leaders would surpass him by the point they hit one hundred matches, which hurt his pride but also gave him some relief. Having competent agents to do tasks for him never hurt, and he needed to step down from always fighting on the frontline anyways. He did not want his own children to grow up without their father after all.

As the battle progressed, Loki gradually took the time to use his superior swordplay skills to hit Kael bit by bit and inflict small wound upon wound with the glaives. Kael’s custom made dual pronged sword, modeled after one he said he once possessed, could catch one glaive and divert it, but Loki’s speed would allow him to scrape at Kael with the other before Kael could dodge or parry it fully.

It took a couple hours, but the fighting subsided when Kael’s bleeding body finally disallowed him from lifting up his blade from parrying an attack and Loki was left with his glaive pointing at Kael’s neck.

Loki smiled as he lowered his blade, the combat done. If his opponent had more physical strength he may have been able to force some of Loki’s quick strikes back at him, and even the few hits he did manage to retaliate with lacked the impact required to fell Loki, “You lack power, at least in comparison to your other qualities,” Loki paused to eye Kael’s many wounds, which Trixie had already begun to mend with her powers, “For one on your level you are beyond durable and possess an endurance I must envy even if my own body never grows tired anymore. Your magical skill also appears to be formidable, though I have a feeling you have not revealed your full capabilities to me yet.”

“I am not likened to a phoenix because of my limited lifespan. Thank you, however,” Kael bowed, pleased to have the approval of Loki, “Even if my physical strength is not at the same place as my other qualities, it far surpasses that of many other warriors.”

Loki smirked while helping the man to his feet, “I would hate to face you in actual combat.”

“I would not enjoy facing you in real battle either,” Kael laughed back while nodding in thanks to the help up, “It took twenty five warriors to fell me in combat the first time I was defeated. I remember in my madness slaying a green clad human warrior whose spear nearly took my life. It is hard to draw from those memories, but that one stands out.”

“Well, seeing as how green is my preferred color and I am fond of spears, I hope that we do not come to blows so as to not repeat the past,” Loki snorted.

“I would hope so. My favorite color is blue, though there is enough of that around with your daughter and wife.”

Speaking of whom, Loki turned to face the other combatant there, “Your turn again, daughter.”

Trixie smiled to him, pleased to hear what he called her. A semi-cold, arrogant man who deeply loved his family was as close to a perfect father figure as she could imagine, which was a sad testament to her life struggles more than anything else, “Yes, father.”

“You need to be ready for when Thanos rears his head. You are not p—”

Trixie scoffed. Loki had no idea of what was going through her head, or of all her plans and preparations. Only one person truly did, after all.

“I am adequately prepared.”

To not leave his mind to wander about what that meant, Trixie decided she needed to follow up her statement. As she considered a way to not make Loki curious about her confidence, Loki spoke up about his worries.

“The Aether and the staff Luna took from me both are sources of power beyond imagination,” he paused as he felt Trixie’s smile begin to unnerve him, “They are a part of a set though. A set Thanos seeks to complete, and will use against us.”

His words gave Trixie the way to explain her smug confidence, “The Infinity Stones, or Infinity Gems. They are referred to by different names in your books. Also, do not forget that power source sought on Earth during your reign of terror, the Tesseract.”

That accounted for half the set…and Loki was once again impressed. Trixie knew what she was talking about. It seemed all that reading she had been working on was paying off.

Trixie flashed him a nervous grin, “I did my research quite thoroughly. The scepter is known as the Mind Stone, the Tesseract is the Space Stone, and I have not yet learned what the comparative name of the Aether is, but it is among the set. I am thinking it is the Power Gem, which is said to duplicate physical super powers as well as grant all the power that does or ever will exist…”

Loki’s continued amazement at her knowledge made Trixie chuckle a little, embarrassed by the respect displayed with his slack jaw and O of a mouth.

“Since I have that, and we collectively possess the Mind Gem that can reach into all minds in existence should its powers be harnessed fully, I think we are well off.”

Having access to two of the powerful artifacts was quite beneficial, but Thanos had at least one and the gauntlet created to harness their power. A single being could not hold all that power in their own body without severe consequences, thus the gauntlet, which in addition to harnessing their power also increased it.

It was this that Loki was worried about, because he scepter was dangerous to use and that just left them with the Aether as a reliable tool. One gem to Thanos’s one confirmed gem, but his one was going to be empowered and there was little stopping him from searching for and bringing the others as well due to the millions of servants he had to find them.

Loki was just glad that Thanos was arrogant enough to finish the job personally. He could just send his large armies that he once promised to Loki on Loki and all of the races he now had a responsibility for.

“And when Thanos brings all of the others to battle?”

Trixie, not knowing how much Loki knew, started to explain things just in case, “He has the Tesseract and the Infinity Gauntlet, which is a tool that can combine all of them together. His power is almost incomprehensible to a mere mortal with just one, and I assume he has not been idle in his absence so he may have some of the others. We will have to gauge his strength when he appears, and handle things from there.”

Her answer did not really satisfy Loki, but he didn’t really have a way of countering it. There just wasn’t a way to beat Thanos if he had too many gems, at least as far as Loki could see.

Trixie cleared her throat as she continued, “There is still the matter of the Time Gem, which allows one to control time itself. I believe it to be in the possession of Hela because of her abilities, but that could be something natural to her since her body was effected by the Aether while still in the womb. Reality, which is said to keep the others in check, can fulfill the wishes of its master even if it breaks the laws of nature...”

That was certainly appealing.

One last known gem remained, and Trixie found herself grinning more than she had in months at the thought of it, “Finally, the Soul Gem is taken care of. I have confirmed that it is possessed by an entity other than Thanos. It is said to be the most powerful by some researchers, although this is argued. It can allow someone to steal and manipulate souls, as well as steal powers and abilities.”

Her vagueness naturally left Loki curious, “How did you confirm this?”

“I know where it is, and it is safe,” Trixie shook her head as Loki opened his mouth to press further, “It has the most corrupting power of all of the gems, and is said to be sentient. It hungers for souls. May we leave it at that?”

The issue would have been pressed further, and possibly brought to a better resolution for everyone, had a servant of the castle not burst in and announced.

“My lord, Queen Luna has entered labor!”

Loki forced himself to not react in a panic, steeling himself as he turned to face the attendant. Luna had no known due date given the uniqueness of her situation, so it was something he had been expecting for awhile. After all, Luna had grown very large in the time since he returned, and even with two children in tow there was only so much they needed to grow.

Loki shot Trixie a serious look and pointed a finger at her, “I expect a deeper explanation in the near future,” his point made, he turned back to the attendant, “Take us to my queen.”

Luna had chosen to give birth in her room, since she was not bound by the same mortal constraints as other mothers. No hospital was needed because she only was in labor for less than ten minutes, and she needed no attendant because Loki had gotten there quickly to help her. It had become a hobby of his to read up on pregnancy related things when he had moments inbetween making royal decisions.

In fact, he read more than Luna did, as she spent her time playing what she called “video games” on a TV and gaming system Stark had brought by as a gift. He said the children would love it, and even designed controllers for hooves. Loki did not particularly find himself in love with the gift, but Luna’s countless hours playing could be still witnessed by the games and their boxes strewn about the room.

Once it was over, Luna looked over to her husband with a weak smile. She had used her shapeshifting abilities to speed up the process and lessen the amount of time she spent in pain, but the ordeal still left her winded and weakened.

“Loki…”

Busy cradling the two infants in his arms, Loki pried his eyes off them and the blankets he had wrapped them in to look down at their mother.

“You cheated, but our son and daughter are doing just fine,” Loki joked as he inspected the two. Hela, who had been born first, was in an Asgardian form. Her skin was pearly white, but to Loki’s relief he found that she had been born with a pulse. This already made her different from the one he had met, who seemed to have always been dead given what he learned of her, and it gave him hope that in this reality she would not end up that way.

Sleep Near, who Loki had wanted to instead name Sleipnir, was born in an equine body and had a soft grey fur with a black mane that resembled Loki’s hair. Unlike Hela, Sleep Near was making small noises, but was not yet crying. His sister was remaining mute, and barely was moving at all, but Loki had long grown used to the fact that his daughter would be mute.

Oh, and Sleep Near had four extra legs. All of which were pushing around randomly and kicking into Loki’s ribs. How Luna managed to deal with twelve limbs constantly rumbling around inside her, Loki did not want to know.

Luna lifted a hand towards Loki and the two babies, wanting to hold them for the first time, “Why suffer for hours with dilation when I can shapeshift?”

Loki handed Hela down to Luna first, who took the baby into her arms gently and with a large, content smile. Having a child took forever, but the warm feeling in her body made it feel worth it.

This was her family. Loki, Hela, Sleep Near, and Trixie, who was patiently waiting outside. Family was who you chose, after all, and Luna could not feel happier with those she had surrounded herself with, two of which she created even if by accident.

“Still, I feel exhausted…” Luna yawned as she began to slowly rock the silent Hela back and forth. This action was interrupted by Sleep Near crying in Loki’s arms, the baby reaching towards Luna with his multiple limbs. Loki chuckled at the thought that perhaps the extra gestation period had let the children be born with some extra intelligence, and that perhaps they knew that Luna was their mother…which meant food.

Luna smiled at Sleep Near as he was let into her arms as well, Hela resting on her left side and hand and Sleep Near mirroring her. Once touching Luna, Sleep Near began to nestle with her chest and writhe while crying, causing Luna to chuckle, “I guess I cannot rest yet. I need to make use of the swelled chest you humanoids heave around for the sake of our children.”

With a little guidance, Sleep Near began to nurse with Luna. His sister seemed to take his lead and used the spare source of milk to feed herself while Luna contently looked at her children. A feeling of relief was washing over her, and Luna found herself mesmerized about everything she could see with the two.

This, however, included her eyes inspecting Sleep Near’s extra limbs for some time as the two continued to nurse, Luna meanwhile whispering, “Sleep Near…”

Loki sighed. Again, he had expected this, but to see that his son truly would be deformed disheartened him somewhat. Not because he did not think extra limbs could be useful, but because he knew others may judge his son for it, “I have heard of this before. A sad result of a gravid woman’s womb being subjected to healing magic. It results in duplication of limbs in rare instances…”

Luna did not respond to that, for she was upset with herself that her own reckless behavior caused her womb damage that had needed to be healed. If she had not underestimated Algrim, if she had remembered to use the scepter, perhaps her children could be healthier.

The first to finish feeding, Hela just curled up into Luna. She did not do anything though besides breath softly, which made only the slightest of noise compared to the heavier breathing of her brother. Her lack of noise made Luna want to start crying despite how happy she was, because it was another malady caused by her own faults.

“Why isn’t she crying?”

How much would her children pay for her own personal decisions and faults?

Loki took a seat next to Luna on her bed and brought a hand over hers, speaking softly so as to not upset Luna further, “Perhaps the wounds she suffered while in your womb from that giant beast serving Malekith…”

He cut himself off at the sight of tears in Luna’s eyes. This was likely going to forever be a sore topic for her, and so he let it drop.

Loki brought his hand over to run across his infant daughter’s back, “Hela, my first born and my second daughter…” he leaned in to whisper, “Please, cry for your mother.”

Hela remained silent, though she seemed to be finding comfort in clenching Luna’s shirt. Her mother tensed up at the lack of noise, tears now freely running down her face, “Please…” Luna found it sad that she was the one crying and not the newborn, but could not stop herself despite the irony, “I want to hear your voice…”

As Sleep Near continued to nurse and Hela fell asleep next to Luna, their mother continued to cry at her own mistake, “My ignorance did this…” Luna kissed Hela’s head softly before brushing Sleep Near’s hair out of his way, “If only I had realized I was pregnant, I…”

Her words trailed off as Luna began to sob, Loki quickly bringing a hand to touch her face and wipe the tears away, “Luna, please, do not work yourself up. You need to rest.”

“Please forgive me…” Luna continued to sob, feeling wholly responsible for all of the hardships the two would have to go through now because of their physical abnormalities.

Loki, who had arrived just too late to stop the Dark Elf invasion, felt guilty as well, though he knew that it was Hela’s sick irony that he was there too late which caused her to be harmed which seemed to lead to her resentment of him. A stable loop of time and revenge, now broken in this particular world due to slight differences.

Still, Loki did not wish to be absolved of all his blame. If he had been strong enough, none of this would have happened, “Forgive me for not being there for you in your time of need.”

A soft glow in front of them both made them look down at Sleep Near, who now was as pale skinned as his father and rustling around in his now Asgardian body. The natural shapeshifting was not too unexpected, since Luna had long since felt them changing, but actually seeing her child doing something powerful magic users could not made Luna proud.

Luna smiled down at Sleep Near as he now began to nurse again with his different mouth, “No wonder he’ll be so big. Milk helps a body grow. And here I thought the excess size of these would go to waste.”

“It seems my son will not be solely a horse. At least we do not need to remake the throne,” Loki shrugged, not really having been that worried since he had seen that his son could one day transform at will.

“I felt them changing sometimes in my womb…” Luna sighed at the interesting but painful memories, “I could feel Hela mostly as an Asgardian, and Sleep Near mostly as a foal. When they both were foals it was hard to even walk with how bloated I became. If not for my shapeshifting abilities, my womb may have even torn.”

Loki ran a hand over her stomach gently, “To be honest, I have grown used to your more fleshed out self. You have looked that way longer than I have seen you without a round stomach, after all.”

Luna stuck her tongue out at him, “It made going to bed more difficult, but you did not seem to mind all that much with my stomach taking up so much room and getting in your way.”

Noting that Sleep Near had not really stopped since he first latched on, Loki found himself wondering just how large his stomach was, “Does our son also have two stomachs?”

“Perhaps, but maybe transforming makes him dehydrated from the effort?” Luna reasoned before laughing, “Drink, my little prince. I read that breast feeding can make children smarter than those who don’t.”

Loki wanted to grumble that he had been the one who read it and had told it to her, but held his tongue so as to not upset her. With him not speaking and Sleep Near still determined, Luna laughed and gave her husband a happy smile, “Sorry Loki. You have to share certain parts of me with them now.”

Again, Loki shrugged as he thought of a good comeback, “You taste good. How can I fault them?”

Hela woke up with a small flicker of her eyes, at which point she began to struggle slightly. Luna held tightly before guiding her back to her chest, “You look thirsty even if you aren’t vocal about it,” as Hela began to compete with her brother for most entranced with nursing, Luna found herself becoming giddy about this whole motherhood idea again, “Oh, I’ve been wondering for so long what this feeling of motherhood would be like. Not only the past year, but in my time on the moon I had a lot of free time…”

Loki rose an eyebrow both at Luna’s statement and her emotional roller-coaster, but he let her continue as she sheepishly grinned, “In fact, I pretended some days that I was to be a mother. I may have been a little insane at the time if I am to be honest, but imagining the act of being a mother made me feel less lonely. The rocks were useful as stand ins for a family.”

Loki squeezed her hand gently and leaned in over his children to kiss her, “You won’t have to be lonely again. You have a family to be with your forever now.”

“A family…” Luna sighed as she remembered how this twins deal ruined her desire to only have one child.

On the same wavelength, Loki finished, “We need to make sure Sleep Near and Hela always grow up loving one another, and do not feel jealous. They will be the ones who take our place after all, like Trixie has been doing for you recently.”

Luna sighed as she nodded her head, a tired haze growing over her as she thought about the bad blood between siblings previously, “I am okay with that idea. Passing up the mantle to our next generation. I built a nation a thousand years ago. I fought for it, and I have spent a lifetime fighting for it. I do not believe I have much fight left in me these days.”

“Nor should you. You are a ruler now of three nations. It is not your duty to be the one who does the actual fighting.”

“I do not know if it is because of my powers being the only ones that have been able to stop countless threats in Equestria for so long, but I have a hard time letting others do it for me. It feels cowardly,” Luna sighed as Sleep Near and Hela each stopped, at which point she let them curl up into her to sleep, “Or, at least, it did until I found someone to take up their fight for me who I can trust wholly to carry out my more laborious duties with honor and heart.”

“I can understand not wanting to spill blood while remaining safe, but luckily that time has passed us by,” Loki commented, not wanting to bring up Thanos. Or how he had left the unconscious body of Maiev and dead bodies of his family in Asgard’s throne room the day prior. How they got there he did not know, since Maiev was too wounded to even speak and had lapsed into unconsciousness since.

That could wait. Luna didn’t need any stress at the moment, and that was why he had held the information from her. Stress was not good for pregnant women, and even now that the twins were born he did not have the will to speak up. Perhaps if he had brought the topic to the table then a different outcome would have come about, but decisions such as that brought them to the path they would be set on.

“I do not know how much of an adviser I can serve as due to my large focus on more militaristic matters, but I will do what I can to help you rule Asgard as the greatest king it has ever had,” Luna explained before growing a completely serious look on her face, “Do not expect that to mean I will not take umbrage with certain things and issues, as I may be sidelined now but I will step in on any matter political or otherwise that I find to be an issue, even if it may mean opposing you.”

Her words might have disheartened a lesser man, but they instead made Loki smile at her proudly, “And that is all I can ask for. I would rather have a partner whose strong will can and will push me and conflict than some waif who simply acts as a shadow who mimics me.”

Outside of the room Trixie and Kael were waiting patiently to be allowed inside. They did not want to interrupt the four inside, but found themselves surprised to find themselves met by four others. Celestia’s assistants had said she was busy tending to her own daughter and would be by the first chance she got, but Trixie had told them all to keep things quiet. They did not need people swarming around the newborns after all.

How the three Dazzlings and Fandral found out was a mystery to the two previously waiting outside, and the explanation Adagio gave did not make them any less curious.

“We came to pay our respects to the newborn royalty.”

Aria grunted as she glared at Fandral, who had his arm locked with Sonata, “I don’t see why we had to bring him.”

Trixie rolled her eyes. Even now, Aria couldn’t help but be contrarian and moody.

Fandral brought a hand to his chest proudly while giving a smile to the woman on his arm, “I was the one who invited Sonata to come and join me for this momentous occasion. I did not realize it would come with two loud mouthed women as well.”

That explained things for Trixie. The man had come as a personal guard to Luna, and so he had likely been whisked away once the labor commenced. He had then gone to get Sonata, who he had apparently been seeing after they met at the wedding, and that meant the other Dazzlings found a way to feign respect while doing something nefarious.

Trixie was worried they might try something, but for the moment bit her tongue and settled on observing them.

Fandral turned to the door and knocked on it politely while talking to the others in the hallway, “Now, I came to give my respects and pledge my continued fealty to the crown, as well as to their offspring, so if you would excuse us…”

Once Fandral and Sonata were allowed in, Trixie groaned. She could have just asked permission to come in to begin with.

With the other two gone though and no non-conspirators in the hallway, Trixie whispered to the others, “Should you not be doing final preparations right now? We have but weeks until our plan comes together.”

Adagio glanced to the door, an evil smile on her face, “We are preparing.”

For the first time since she met them, Trixie became less than calm and courteous, taking a step towards Adagio and jabbing a skinny Elven finger into Adagio’s collar, “You will not touch those children.”

The act of defiance was not appreciated by Adagio, who already had enough to deal with considering Aria’s usual grumbling, “And who are you to stand in our way?” Adagio turned to Kael and snapped her fingers, which after a split second caused the Elf to stiffen up, “I even have your little friend under my power right now. Do you want to become an unwilling partner to us?”

Trixie ignored this and continued to glare at Adagio. She would not allow anything to be done to the newborns, as they were innocents, “I do not care if you steal the magic of every single pony and being at the stadium, but you may not touch my family. Is that understood?”

Aria rolled her eyes at Trixie’s hypocrisy of actions, “You were the one who helped us with your aunt.”

The fact she had to be a partial hypocrite to enact her plans bit at Trixie, but her heart remained in the right place, “A necessary step in our plan. Her reputation has allowed you to spread your influence, gather crowds, and gain power. But I will not let you touch my brother and sister, especially not in their first minutes of life.”

Seeing how adamant Trixie was about this, Adagio chose to relent. No use ruining everything over two infants, “For all of your help thus far, I will permit this. But you had better listen in the future, child.”

With that, Fandral and Sonata stepped out, the latter squeeing in joy at the sight of the babies and also wondering why one of them had too many arms and legs. Then she lost count and forgot about it entirely, her and Fandral leaving to go on a date while Trixie dragged Kael inside the room and shut it behind them quickly.

There was an instant affection between Trixie and her siblings, at least on the former’s part. The sight of the two little beings made her nearly tear up, the idea of Luna now giving her the full family she never had too much for the young mare-Elf to take.

Once Trixie had approached the bed Luna held up one of the sleeping children to Trixie, who gently received the infant and began to cradle it as Luna watched.

“Trixie, meet your sister Hela,” Luna shifted the infant on top of her to be facing Trixie, “and her younger brother Sleep Near. You three will need to get along when the time comes, okay?”

Trixie smiled down at Hela, “Of course.”

This little child would one day hold the power to control life and death…though this was not the same one who had Thanos trap Trixie in that place of torment, so Trixie was not really feeling a grudge or bitterness. All she could see was an adorable little child who began to cling to her.

Holding Hela like that made Trixie forget all about the pain she felt.

As the next few weeks passed by, Luna grew more and more enervated with having to handle two children who had no synchronization in terms of sleeping and feeding times. Hela had inherited her penchant for being mainly nocturnal while Sleep Near was more of a day-dweller, and so while Luna tried to get back into the whole working-game she was often too tired to do so.

As such, one day Trixie found herself approached by her mother with two children in tow. Trixie knew already what this would be about, but she let Luna explain it for herself.

“Trixie, I am exhausted and I must apologize…I need some time to myself if I am going to get back into my duties. Could you look after Sleep Near and Hela for me?”

If Trixie were still truly petty, she could point out that later that same day was the competition she had been setting up for months, and that she couldn’t be watching after them all day, but she happily obliged anyways. She would just give them back before the event, and make sure they did not come to it. It was no place for children and babies after all.

“Of course. My preparations are all done for the competition, so I could spend time with them until this afternoon when the event takes place.”

Luna sighed in relief. This way she could sleep and then see about getting some work done before slacking off at the competition, “Thank you,” she levitated the two babies over to Trixie, Sleep Near giggling happily at the feeling while Hela continued to be mute, “I’ll be back for them when I can. If you need to go before I am back for them, speak with Celestia or the maids she has to help her with her own daughter.”

Trixie nodded, pleased to undertake this duty since it would let her spend time with them, “Of course.”

Luckily for Trixie, she did not need to clean up after the babies at all, since she realized only after accepting the duty that she would have fainted trying. That moment of realization hit when Luna left diapers for Trixie to use on the foals/babies, but the shapeshifting duo did not bother Trixie with their bathroom needs that day.

Trixie found herself under the same spell of love as Luna when she looked at the two as they quietly slept on top of her bed. They were really well behaved babies, and that made her feelings of affection all the greater.

To ease her own nerves, Trixie let herself lay beside them and enjoy these moments. She had a big day ahead of her, and so this time was precious.

Seeing Sleep Near kick his extra limbs around in his sleep made Trixie sigh. There was no way others would accept his physical being, especially not other ponies, “Other ponies will mock you. Deride you behind your back for your deformity. For how your father is not another pony,” Trixie ran a hand over one of his small legs and sighed at the touch of his fur, “We may not be warlike like Asgardians or the Jotuns, but we have our own flaws, including xenophobia and a judgmental mindset befitting of cretins.”

As Sleep Near changed form in his sleep, Trixie decided to revert to her natural body. Not the fake Unicorn body, but her true Alicorn self that had resulted from the power boost she received when the Aether fused with her. She took up a great deal more space after the change, but was careful not to crush the babies as they rested beside her.

Trixie brought a gaunt wing to cover the two and serve as a blanket, “Our mother will love you though. Unconditionally,” Trixie brought her muzzle down to kiss them each on the head, “If she can bring herself to still love her sister, who not only shunned her but even erased her from history after needlessly banishing her to the moon, she will love you and your four extra limbs too.”

Trixie let her head crash down on the soft bed, her eyes beginning to tear up, “After all, she can love a washed up, has been magician with no talent like myself…”

Without Luna, Trixie’s story would have ended long ago on the streets of Equestria. For all the good and bad that had come since, it all could be linked to the actions and decisions of Luna.

Trixie couldn’t help but continue talking to the babies like they could understand her, though perhaps it was because she was recording them with a magic spell that she felt like it was not a waste of breath. After all, they could listen to it one day in the future.

“You, like Ataxia, have already earned scorn from the close minded inhabitants of this land. So long as they continue to act so pettily, be so evil in their judgment of others, we’ll continue to see the sorrows of old. One only needs look at history to see that the collective shift towards decadent morals and beliefs will lead to more suffering, to the degradation of the whole land.”

“It’ll be your job to make that all better. You’ll be in charge of these lands one day, you know,” Trixie smiled sadly as Hela crawled over to her, having just woken up, “That is, you will have to if I cannot manage to do so in my own efforts. If all goes well you won’t have to worry about anything ever again.”

As Hela began to make herself comfortable against Trixie’s blue fur, the mare found herself laughing, “You know, I want to be jealous of you two and your blood relation to her,” the laughing subsided as Trixie’s emotions rose up again, “I want to actually be her daughter, not that I deserve it. But I can’t be jealous of a baby who has done nothing to deserve my ire.”

“That hatred has to go somewhere though. If not for my sorrowful excuse for a father, perhaps this wouldn’t be the case. Maybe I would have been born to a different mother. To yours, even,” Trixie closed her eyes as she tried her hardest to keep from choking up, “But that is just one example of a what if. What if Celestia had not allowed Canterlot to decay over her reign to this disgusting point? What if this decadence had not lead to the creation of monsters like my father?”

Trixie actually sobbed for a moment before pulling herself together to continue, “If monsters like my father did not exist, would the lives of others be ruined like my actual mother’s was?” more tears fell as Trixie’s self-doubt reached its apex, “Would she have loved me and not abused me had my birth not ruined her life?”

There was obviously no response, so after a minute of just crying Trixie wiped her eyes. She had to pull herself together at some point if she was going to put on the best show of her life and save Equestria. She was glad she had Twilight at the actual location making the necessary on-site preparations, as the purple Alicorn was quite talented at management. She would be a good leader with time, and Trixie was pleased to call her a friend even if Twilight’s main residence in Ponyville and Trixie’s constant change of locations made visits sparse. Still, Trixie would have liked to call Twilight just that. A friend, despite their histories and past rivalry. Twilight was a good pony after all.

Wiping her sentimentality away, Trixie decided to continue her future lecture for the toddlers, “One day you’ll have to ask questions of your own.”

“It is easy to look back at the past and point out the mistakes and alternate paths that could have been taken,” Trixie brought the foals into a hug once Sleep Near woke up and began to crawl around, “The important thing though is to take into account the situation those who were there at the time were in. Their mindsets, their beliefs, their inner struggles…”

Sleep Near buried himself in Trixie’s lower stomach, while Hela cuddled against her chest area, “Understand that, seek to understand history from its very roots and causes, and you will be a wise ruler one day. Wiser than any of the ones who are around today…”

Trixie laughed at the absurdity of this whole situation, “Usually when I talk to myself I have someone else to talk back. The weight of the world must be so great that I have reached the point where I will talk to a toddler…”

She shook her head and turned to face the point she had set up her magic video recorder, “I won’t say these sappy things again, so I have recorded them for when you are old enough to understand. You’ll get it all one day.”

Trixie yelped as a feeling on her lower body made her realize that she perhaps should have protected herself better.

“Sleep Near, I am not your mother, I am your sister! Get off of there!”

With some magic, Trixie separated Sleep Near from her and brought him up to where his sister was. This done, Trixie groaned and shook her head. She would have to edit that part out.

Getting back on track, Trixie continued to shake her head. She knew she could be facing impossible odds that day, even though she had tried to rig the game as much in her favor as she could. If she lost, this was perhaps the last time she would talk to these two. She didn’t want that though. She wanted to come back.

That wasn’t her only fear, but it was the most immediate one.

“I…” Trixie felt herself crying again, but did not try to stop herself this time, “I’m going away for a little while. I don’t know when I’ll be back…” she realized that that might be misleading, even if they couldn’t understand her just yet, “I don’t know if I’ll be back.”

“It would be nice to see you two grow up,” she looked down at Hela with a smirk, “You’re going to be quite the handful when you’re older. I hope you don’t become so…”

No. This Hela was different. She wouldn’t grow up to be that deranged psychopath Trixie encountered before. Trixie would do her best to make sure of it, as she despised that other woman.

“Never mind.”

With that, Trixie got up from the bed. It had been a few hours since Luna dropped them off, and she really needed to go. She would get someone to take care of them in her place, but the idea of parting with them made her stomach drop just as her tears did.

To Hela, Trixie whispered, “Be the good daughter Luna wants, okay? I’ll be back later. I promise I’ll do everything I can, and breaking promises is beneath me.”

Looking over to Sleep Near, she whispered next to him, “And you take care of your sister. I know she’s the older one, but family has to look out for each other, right? That’s why I’m going to do everything I can for them…and for you. I’m going to do what’s right, dear brother.”

Her words were said to comfort herself, though later when the family would look back and think, this was the last day they were all together in some form or another.

The build up of events had finally come to be. Ever since Loki first came to Equestria there had been circumstances beyond his own control, which in turn led to events and further circumstances that compounded on themselves with time.

History would be wrote about the events, one way or another, and it was simply a matter of who would be the one writing and with how many tears spilt on the pages of their work.